Tesla's Dispute with Swedish Workers Threatens to Escalate into a Regional Contest
Danish dockworkers and drivers are showing solidarity with striking Swedish workers, threatening to halt Tesla transportation to Sweden unless a deal is reached within two weeks
Dockworkers and drivers in Denmark are considering halting the transportation of Teslas to Sweden unless the carmaker reaches a resolution with striking workers in Sweden within the next two weeks. The 3F labor union in Denmark has announced a potential "sympathy strike" as a way to intensify pressure on a Tesla subsidiary to acknowledge the Swedish labor union IF Metall, allowing for negotiations on wages and employment conditions.
This is the first instance where a labor union outside of Sweden has issued a threat of industrial action against Tesla in support of the Swedish workers.
"IF Metall and the Swedish workers are currently engaged in a highly significant struggle. When they seek our support, we stand firmly behind them," stated Jan Villadsen, the chairman of 3Fs transport division.
"Just like companies, the trade union movement is global in the fight to protect workers."
Image credit: Angela to Roxel/imageBROKER/Shutterstock (13911361j)
Electric vehicle charging stations by Tesla, known as Superchargers, in Sweden.
Tesla secures legal victory in Sweden after month-long dispute with unions
In October, mechanics responsible for servicing Tesla vehicles in Sweden, who were represented by IF Metall, initiated a sustained strike following Tesla subsidiary's announcement that it would not acknowledge the union, as reported by Expressen, a CNN affiliate. According to IF Metall, approximately 120 mechanics are currently participating in the strike.
IF Metall stated on its website that it is advocating for fair wages, secure pensions, and comprehensive insurance coverage for all of its members employed at Tesla. The organization also mentioned that despite prolonged negotiations, Tesla has declined to sign a collective agreement and has disregarded fundamental labor market principles in Sweden.
The labor dispute quickly extended to Swedish dockworkers, who began to obstruct Tesla deliveries at the country's ports, as well as electricians who ceased maintenance work for the car manufacturer, and other Swedish workers, as reported by Expressen.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Denmark's 3F announced on Tuesday that its dockworkers and drivers would not be handling Teslas bound for Sweden, citing "speculation" that the carmaker might attempt to bypass the Swedish port blockade by transporting its vehicles to Danish ports for truck delivery.
Such a workaround "is no longer possible," the union spokesperson said.
CNN has contacted Tesla for comment.
Nordic solidarity
Other unions representing dockworkers in Denmark, along with their counterparts in Finland and Norway, are also considering showing solidarity with the striking Swedish mechanics, according to Anu Hietala, general secretary of the Nordic Transport Workers Federation based in Stockholm. Hietala shared this information with CNN on Tuesday.
Tesla's struggle in the Nordics highlights the difficulty the company faces in a region where collective bargaining agreements are common. In Sweden, about 90% of workers are covered by these agreements, while in Denmark, more than 80% are. Despite this, Tesla's CEO Elon Musk, who is the richest man in the world, has openly expressed his disapproval of unions.
During a recent interview with the New York Times, he expressed his opposition to unions, stating, "I just don't like anything which creates a kind of lord and peasant dynamic." He also mentioned his belief that unions tend to foster negativity within a company.
Tesla workers in the United States have made three unsuccessful attempts to organize, largely due to the company's aggressive tactics and the insufficient labor protections in the country. According to Villadsen from Denmark's 3F, companies must adhere to the Nordic tradition of collective bargaining in order to operate in the region.
"Even if you are one of the richest people in the world, you cant just make your own rules," he said.
